Sylvia Mahaffey, a math teacher at Putnam City’s Capps Middle School, was one of five teachers in the nation to be named in December as a 2010 Symetra Top Teacher. 
In recognition of the honor, Capps Middle School will receive a $1,000 donation in her name. The award is sponsored by Symetra Financial Corporation, a financial services company based in Bellevue, Wash.
According to Symetra, the Top Teachers program honors teachers from around the country for outstanding leadership and instructional skills. Specifically, Symetra recognizes teachers who:
• Balance the core curriculum with students’ individual needs
• Build trust among students, parents and the community
• Invest in their students' long-term success
“Sylvia is one of the most talented educators I have observed in my 20-plus years in education. She is caring and compassionate with every student and truly individualizes instruction for each and every student that walks through the doors of her classroom. Her zeal and love for teaching and students is remarkable,” says Dr. April Grace, the district’s executive director of Human Resources.
For more information about Mahaffey, see this article from February 2009.